Mammary Artery Retractor
Sternotomies are a common part of cardiovascular surgery procedures, and over 250,000 are done per year in the U.S. Due to the retraction method used, 16% of sternotomies result in first or second rib fractures and 21% result in brachial plexus injuries. In addition to patient injury, current retraction methods are unreliable, with device failure causing injury to both patients and surgeons. Sternotomies are an important part of coronary arterial bypass graft (CABG) procedures, particularly when the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) is being used as the graft. Thus, a need exists for a reliable device that improves patient outcomes from CABG procedures through natural retraction, reducing the incidence of both brachial plexus injury and first and second rib fractures
Current Status:
This project was inherited by the current Bridge BUilders team. The manufactured components had all been designed and made by a previous team, and the existing electronic components had all been ordered, as well. The current setup is not functional due to the need for electronics work, including Arduino code.
My Role:
Starting in the fall semester, I began familiarizing myself with previous iterations of the design, which included disassembling and reassembling the current device and reviewing all previous documentation. After working with some of the existing electronics, I decided to do a redesign of the motor control system, including creating a remote radio controller in place of a hard-wired controller. I also made a temporary change to the clamping system of the device to help it stand upright while another team member works on a redesign for the clamp. In case the electronics are completed before the redesigned clamp, this setup can be used for preliminary testing.
Additionally, I have revisited and expanded the existing documentation, specifically for testing . I have created verification and validation test plans and protocols and standardized DHF document formatting for the project, including a change form.